The Run DownThe postseason is barely underway, but let’s get on with some 2014 baseball chatter because I just can’t wait. As always, we’ll be easing you into these MiLB previews, starting with the poorest systems, and working our way toward the best as Opening Day approaches next spring. So here we are at the bottom; The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Hoo boy, this is a thin, low-impact group. Making matters worse, the Halos forfeited their first round picks in each of the past two seasons when they signed free agents Josh Hamilton and Albert Pujols. LA fans probably don’t want to hear this right now, but the Cardinals used their 2012 first round pick to draft Michal Wacha. Ouch. Take solace in the fact that you guys still produced Mike Trout, whose career WAR at age 22 is 21.1. That’s insane homegrown output over the past two seasons, so I can’t feel too bad for you jerks just yet.

Top Ten Fantasy Prospects1. Kaleb Cowart, 3B: The difficulty in jumping from A-ball to Double-A is duly noted. It’s the toughest transition in pro baseball, aside from the leap to the big leagues, of course. Kaleb Cowart learned this lesson firsthand in 2013, hitting .221/.279/.301 with 6 homers and 14 steals in his first year of upper levels baseball (quite the drop from the .276/.358/.452, 16 HR, 14 SB line he posted in 2012). Still, it’s important to realize that Cowart is just 21-years-old and was among the youngest players in the Texas League this season. He’ll likely return to Double-A Arkansas to begin 2014, where the Angels hope his considerable tools will begin to translate into measurable success. He keeps the top spot in this top-10 thanks to a fantasy ceiling that cannot be matched by the other members of this weak Angels farm system. ETA: 2015

2. Taylor Lindsey, 2B: I was tempted to lead this list with Lindsey because, for fantasy purposes, you gotta love bat-first second basemen, and that’s precisely what he is. Ultimately, I sided with Cowart’s all-star level upside for the top spot, but there’s certainly an argument to be made for Lindsey. The 21-year-old hit .274/.339/.441 with 45 XBH (17 HR) at Double-A Arkansas in 2013. He carries the best hit tool in the organization and he’s the second baseman of the future in LA. Lindsey will surface in 2014 if an opportunity presents itself. ETA: 2014

3. C.J. Cron, 1B: After posting 27 homers along with a slugging average at .516 in the hitter-friendly environment of the California League in 2012, Cron managed only 14 long balls at Arkansas in 2013. Still, reports on his raw power remain impressive and 30+ HR potential is still realistic with the hit tool is turning out to be more impressive than we initially projected. The 23-year-old will likely move up to Triple-A in 2014, and if Cron can rediscover his power stroke, he’ll have an opportunity to surface in the big’s before year’s end. ETA: Late 2014

4. Randal Grichuk, OF: Los Angeles took Grichuk with the 24th overall pick in the 2009 draft. They had the next selection too, and choose Mike Trout at #25. It’s been tough for the 22-year-old to escape the Trout comparisons, which seem pretty silly considering there isn’t a prospect alive who should be held up to Mike Trout (fine, maybe Buxton). In any case, Grichuk brings very real power-potential (22 HR at Double-A in 2013), but if that power is going to translate at the highest level, he’s going to need to improve his plate discipline and pitch recognition. ETA: Late 2014

5. Mark Sappington, RHP: A fifth round pick in 2012, Sappington has repertoire of a big league starter (FB, SL, CH), but delivery and command concerns have scouts wondering if the bullpen will be his final destination. Should he find more consistency with regard to throwing strikes, however, Sappington could make for an intriguing fantasy starter with big whiff potential thanks to a plus, mid-90s fastball. ETA: 2015

6. Hunter Green, RHP: As I previously mentioned, the Angels lost their 2013 first round selection when they signed Josh Hamilton. That made the 59th overall pick their first in the draft, and with it, they took Hunter Green, a lanky high school southpaw. As with most any high school draftee, there’s a long way to go with Green, but a projectable frame and big time velocity give him high-impact potential. ETA: 2017

7. Nick Maronde, LHP: Maronde has surfaced at the highest level in each of the past two seasons, but he’s done so as a lefty specialist out of the Angels ‘pen, which is hardly attractive for fantasy purposes. The Angels actually used the 24-year-old strictly in relief at the minor league level in 2013, but his long-term role is still unclear. Many scouts believe his big, innings-eating frame will ultimately lead him into the rotation, where his fastball/slider combo will draw plenty of whiffs. ETA: 2014

8. Luis Jimenez, 3B: Jimenez collected 110 big league plate appearances in 2013, hitting .260/.291/.317. There’s not a whole lot of upside here, but the 25-year-old has proven that he’s advanced enough to warrant an extended look in the bigs. ETA: 2014

9. Mike Morin, RHP: Morin, a 13th round selection out of UNC in 2012, burst onto the prospect radar in 2013 with impressive work between High-A and Double-A. The 22-year-old posted a 1.93 ERA, a 0.94 WHIP, and a K/9 at 9.8 in 56 relief appearances across the two levels. I typically avoid ranking relief arms in these top-10’s, but this is a particularly poor system, so Morin deserves some love. ETA: 2014

10. Eric Stamets, SS: Stamets’s defensive ability should be enough to carry him to the big leagues, but there are major concerns regarding his bat. The 22-year-old managed a line at .281/.335/.375 over a full season in the California League in 2013, and he’ll be in for a test when he steps up to the upper levels in 2014. If he can keep improving his already-capable on-base skills, though, he’s got the wheels to steal plenty of bags at any level. ETA: 2015

Kole Calhoun had a nice season across AAA and mlb this year. In 496ABS he went 20/77/100/13, and by the end of the year was hitting agaisnt both lefties and righties. Do you think he continues this strongly next year?

Scott, fantastic work! I can’t Imagine how much time it takes to write a blurb about each team. I am very much looking forward to reading the one about the Cubs! I hope it’s the last one you write! By the way I’m trying to build more character in myself that’s why i’m a Cubs fan.

@Gregorious Chant: The order I use is based off of pre-2013 organizational ranks, so the Cubs probably aren’t as high as they should be… still, don’t plan on seeing their writeup until the new year… and your character growth won’t be complete until you sit in the bleachers at wrigley with a backward cubs hat, no shirt, two old styles, and your back to the game action, oblivious to the score & situation.

You certainly were right for keeping faith with Cole man, guess it’s hard to not like his stuff, that fastball is electric and some decent secondary stuff too. Amazing how he gets such giddy up on the fastball with a fairly simple slingy motion, id imagine his AVG fastball velocity was tops over all starters this year including Verlander? That for a kid who’s just been called up…crazy.

Thinking about the Bradley deal. Know there’s no chance I could get Cole now as much as id want him, so what about a guy you must have seen a lot, Michael Wacha (wacha). Is his upside near enough to Bradley’s to warrant the move seeing as he should be usable next year? Or even a guy like Sonny Grey whos been really good, or a bat like Matt Adams.

Don’t wanna undersell Bradley just wanna know how much I should get back for a guy usable next year.

@TheNewGuy: Gray or Wacha would be a good get for the uncertain value of Bradley… he’s the top pitching prospect, but he’s nowhere near proven & if you can get a tested guy like Gray or Wacha, that’d be superb. Don’t think that’s an undersell. Adams has big value too, but still unsure of his role next season…

@Scott Evans: Thanks man, I’ll see if there are any bites when I dangle out on our offseason trade board when it opens.

Bit of a kick in the crotch though when I think that Wacha and Gray were both unowned after our last years prospect draft, and were just added midseason, so I’d be trading a guy that was drafted highly and been rostered for a year now in Bradley for them. But that’s the way these outta the radar prospects can come up sometimes, and be so valuable as a result.

But I guess I need to forget that fact now and just focus on their respective values straight up. Gotta get first to em next time! :)

@Scott Evans: Great stuff Scott, can’t wait for more. Question for ye – even though these young cardinals arms are already graduated and producing, what do you think their roles will be in 2014? Rosenthall as closer? Wacha in rotation? C-Mart in rotation or bullpen? Thanks much

@Ra’zball Al Ghul: This is a tough one because there are so many possibilities. The New Guy & I have debated this at length throughout the season… My inclination is that, for durability issues, C-Mart will work best for the long-term as a closer & that Rosenthal will work his way into a starting role. Wacha is a SP no matter what. That’s my best guess, but only time will tell…. In any case, what a great problem to have from the Cardinals perspective.